Device for protecting ears from high intensity noise



Jan. 9, 1962 M. c. ROSENBLATT 3,016,054

DEVICE FOR PROTECTING EARS FROM HIGH INTENSITY NOISE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 INVEINTOR. Wt BY an. mm

\Ww M ATTORNEYS 3,916,054 DEVICE FOR PROTECTING EARS FROM HIGH INTENSITY NOISE Maurice C. Rosenblatt, 91 Central Park W., New York 23, N.Y. Filed Sept. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 840,359 1 Claim. (Cl. 128152) This invention relates to an audio-acoustical device to protect the ears and hearing of a wearer from intense noise, and is an improvement on my patent for an ear protector filed September 12, 1944, now Patent #2476,- 224, issued July 12, 1949.

A special use of this invention is to protect a wearer from ear impairment when working on or close to modern jet engines of aircraft revved up at full throttle and from other intense noises. To prevent ear impairment or other damage to the auditory complex in the presence of such noise, the audio-acoustical device must have a noise attenuation factor of more than fifty decibels (db) which prior to this invention has not been available. A noise attenuation of about 45 db is insufficient to prevent ear impairment in the presence of noise as intense as 150 db which is encountered, these days, around jet engines operating at full throttle. To protect the ear the impressed level must not be higher than about 100 db. With this invention the necessary attenuation can be obtained to make the device ear-impairment proof, and with an attenuation over the noise spectrum from a frequency of fifty to 10,000 vibrations.

The object of this invention is to provide an audioacoustical device, acoustic guard or ear protection set to prevent ear impairment or other auditory damage when worn in the proximity of intense noise.

Another object of this invention is to provide an ear protector set which is comfortable to wear and is proof against dangerous failure to protect the ears when worn, which is universally adjustable to any head size, form or shape.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a composite assembly view of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the device on line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an outside view of the device as viewed from the right side of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG- URE 1.

As shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, the audioacoustical device comprises an articulating adjustable soft and pliable rubber nipple tip for each ear shown as element 1 in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4. This nipple tip is of such a diameter and ball-shaped as to completely seal the external entrance of the ear canal against the entrance of any sound or noise when pressure is applied upon said ball-shaped nipple tips. Nipple tips 1 are mounted inside of and centrally with a flexible, pliable, elastic vinyl cup or cushion 2, but said tips extend and protrude outwardly from said cup or cushion 2. The vinyl cup or cushion 2 is a thin-walled, impervious, cavitied medium which, under pressure, complies with and overlays the contours of the external ear or meatus and in co-operation with the nipple tips 1, when pressure is applied, completely seals all external openings to the ear canal; and when so sealed, the cavitied cup or cushion 2 entraps a body of dead air lacking vibratory response to external sound and noise, thus further enhancing the valved-E seal of the ear canal by nipple tip 1.

Elements 1 and 2 and their component parts are mountatent O "ice ed on a slide 3 which in the preferred construction is frictionally engaged with a casing 4 to provide adjustment of the assembly for the free length of said casing. The slide 3 extends part way around the inside section of casing 4 and bears against it with enough firmness to remain in position by friction when adjusted to the head size. Casing 4 is preferably one piece and of approximately .l00" thick acrylic plastic doubled over on itself, as shown, to form a pocket for slide 3 and secured at the top with two rivets 4a. Casing 4 may be of selected and varying colors for identification of the wearer of the device or for other reasons of identification. Head band 5 is preferably of flat blue annealed spring steel but may be of one or several runs of spring steel or bronze wire. In the flat strip form said head band is preferably about .050 thick and wide.

The head band 5 is formed and shaped in a unique manner to provide even, constant, uniform pressure of the desired amount over the entire range of adjustment to which the device is subject and which is not possible with head bands with arcuate form. This even, constant, uniform pressure of said head band is accomplished by bending and forming it to approximate a hexagon with two open ends as shown where the head band penetrates and is held firmly by the casing 4. Head band 5 is cased in a padded all-leather casing 6 to hide the spring steel head band 5, to provide a handsome finish and to provide comfort for the wearer. Referring to FIGURE 4, an enlarged view on line 4--4 of FIGURE 1, nipple tip 1 is filled with a plug of soft, pliable polyurathane -7, or similar material. Nipple tip 1 is supported and articulates in any direction by thread ed screw 8. On threaded screw 8 is a threaded tapered part 9 which provides in-and-out adjustment of nipple tip 1 for greater co-operation with cup or cushion 2. Snugly and tightly fitting tapered part 9 and the inside of the apron of nipple tip 1 is a section of gum rubber tubing 10 to prevent movement of the parts of the nipple tip assembly.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An audio-acoustical device to protect the ears and the auditory complex from extreme or other noise, consisting of a head band of approximately hexagonal shape and form to provide even, uniform and constant pressure over the entire range of the size, form and shape of the human head and associated with said head band an assembly with adjustable means consisting of a casing to accommodate an adjustment by means of a slide associated therewith and mounted on said slide a cavitied, conforming, flexible, soft yet firm cup or cushion to conform to and overlay the externalear and in which cup or cushion is mounted a soft, flexible, conforming, articulating ball-shaped nipple tip having means therein whereby said nipple tip may be moved in or out of said cup or cushion for co-operative adjustment with said cup or cushion, the entire assembly as described to co operate to completely seal the meatus and the ear canal to prevent injury or impairment to the ear and auditory complex.

Feher May 8, 1917 Cenerini Feb. 15, 1921 

